The preferred option for many owners is to clip their horse during the colder months to prevent sweating whilst ridden then keep the horse warm when not ridden by rugging.
Rugging a clipped horse in winter.
Secondly during winter it is much harder to get your horse dry again meaning your horse is at risk of becoming very cold whilst it is wet with sweat.
Some of us rug our horses because it makes us feel warmer to see them rugged.
A good quality medium weight turnout is a common starting point for many with clipped horses in minus temperatures and for those with a natural thick coated horse whom perhaps spends most of their time out a light weight rug on colder weather days or during night time especially with older.
Don t tie them up to rug if they sidle up to you when the rug appears put it on.
Many of us rug out of necessity.
Rainsheet to 50g max no neck covers.
A clipped horse an old horse a horse in poor condition.
If they walk off twice don t put it on.
They have a field shelter and some drystone walls but exposed to the north.
Rugging up in winter.
Regardless of the reasons behind it many of us chose to rug our horses and many of us are over rugging our.
Bathing a horse in inclement winter weather in cold water is not ideal and is an important consideration in a basic guide to rugging horses.
Mine are natives with bib clips and live out at 1000 feet.
What to rug and when.
Once bathed even in warm water a wicking rug should be applied until the horse is dried and then the horse can be rugged and checked a few times before a final rug choice is made.